1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an Extendible Shaft Apparatus for a Golf Club that can be placed on the shafts of most golf clubs and extends the shaft length of the club thereby allowing the golfer to lengthen his or her stroke for all golf clubs except the putter. The extendible shaft apparatus, when placed on the shaft of the putter, will allow the player to accomplish a stance that will be a more natural, upright position. The invention may include a golf ball retrieving apparatus (most particularly on the putters) that enables the golfer to retrieve a golf ball from hard-to-reach places such as water hazards and allows golfers with back problems to retrieve their balls without bending at the waist by utilizing the extendible shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golfers often desire to increase the stroke of their clubs for comfort, accuracy and convenience. Many golfers find it difficult to address a golf ball due to either the location of the ball or a physical malady the golfer suffers such as difficulty in bending over. Several devices have been suggested to the golfing public to try to remedy this problem. These devices accomplish this in several ways. However, none of these allow the golfer not only to extend the shaft length of his clubs but to also retrieve his ball utilizing the extendible shaft apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,329 to J. A. Brock on Nov. 30, 1982 for a Putting Club Including Ball Pick Up Device shows a putter having a head member with a scoop-like receptacle on the toe end of the putter head to hold a golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,464 to D. Greenhouse on Jan. 28, 1969 for a Golf Practice Apparatus describes a novelty golf putter having an extensible shaft that allows the putter to be placed on a desk via an ashtray mount. The tubes appear to frictionally slide on a connecting tube in the same manner as the tubes of an inexpensive telescope.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,660 to N. C. Kategian on Sep. 15, 1970 for a Collapsible Golf Shaft shows a shaft whose sections are tapered to allow the sections to frictionally and releasingly lock together when snapped to full extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,231 to D. D. Moore on Oct. 8, 1974 for a Golf Club Having Adjustable Head Means describes a collapsible shank having frictional engagement between the members and having compartmented serrations on the members to avoid rotational movement of one member in respect to another member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,438 to A. J. Candow on Jan. 18, 1991 for a Detachable Golf Putter Extension shows a device for increasing the shaft length of a putter. An anchoring device is firmly placed within the original shaft. A male portion of the extension may be removably inserted within a female receptacle of the anchor when a longer stroke is desired or removed when a stroke as provided by the original shaft is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,860 to J. D. Ehrich on Jul. 9, 1991 for a Collapsible Golf Club describes a telescopically connected tubular shaft threadingly secured in an extended position.
The present invention allows the golfer to accomplish multiple shaft lengths by the process of retrofitting said invention to any and all desired clubs. By utilizing the retrieving apparatus, the extended shaft of the club can be used to retrieve a golf ball. This invention does not alter the club head in any manner as is taught in some previous devices. This allows the golfer to maintain the trusted interface between the club head and the ball.